St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-13
GOSPEL OF EXERCISE.
IL Should be Believed in by women
as Well as MEN.

as Well as MEN.
The natural destination of women over
so, +" says William Blake in an article re-
lating To physical culture, lis the sofa, a
shawl and neuralgia" Surely most dis
couraging prospect to the gentler sex. And
yet it is largely their own fault, for our
girls neglect too frequently the exercise
which would Danish the latent weakness
that haStenS their arrival at the destination
so graphically described by Mr.. Blake. In
our own city we find clear demonstrations
OF the theory of physical degeneration;"
men who should be our ideals of strength
and beauty. are small and of almost etfem-
mate physique. Girls who should be able
to walk several miles without fatigue are
completely overcome and good for nothing
the remainder of the day if they walk many
squares. And so il is-the whole race is
becoming puny and feeble from lack of Sys-
tematic exercise, upon which depends so
, much of their happiness, particularly of the
girls. since they see across the "Rubcon'
the sofa and shawl, neuralgia and nerves,
headaches and temper.
Miss Bertha Won Hillern is a notable eX-
ample OF what it is possible for woman to
accomplish by training. Devoted and sue
cessful artist as she is, her physical culture
is not deemed second to her artistic and a
portion of each day is given up to this need
of all natures. it becomes pre- eminently so
to those who give it its rightful consdera-
ton. Not only does the material comfort
depend upon regular, moderate exercise.
but the mental growth and development as
well. 1t stands to reason that vigorous
health influences the mental conditions. and
that the man or woman who is constitu-
/ tionally the most robust will be capable of
a greater amount OF intellectual labor.
Julian Hawthorne, who is an athlete men
tally and physically, shows his opinion of
the necessity of regular exercise for women
i'll the training of his own little daughter,
who, although but II years of age, can
walk mile in seven minutes easily. I'M
agine what a glorious specimen of woman
| hood she will be! No shawls or nerves for
her, thanks to her fathers superior intelli-
gence.
Strength should be woman's pride no
| less than mans. Exercise alone Will de-
velop it. and at the same time impart that
| symmetrical beauty of form which charac-
I teriZed the god like Greeks" 1t has been
too long neglected in our schools, as the pale
faces of the children will testify. Few
children really take any beneficial exercise
while in school. The hour, or half hour
for recreation in the middle of the day is
passed in studying the lessons for the after
noon session OF in walking up and down
the warm rooms and halls. This is partly
due to the fact that few of the schools have
yards sufficiently large to accommodate
them in any pleasant pastime This is to
| be regretted, as it is at this period of per-
| sons life that physical training should be
| doing its work. The introduction of calls
thenc exercises in the schools several years
| ago was the first step in the right direction,
| and gave the children taste for physical
| culture. which was before unknown to
| them. Unfortunately, they must 90 through
! the various movements and drills in the
school room, and so cannot inhale the pure
| oxygen, which is the most essential part of
the benefit. The fashionable craze for
| lawn tennis goes to prove that our girls are
becoming aware of their deficiency in the
| matter of out-of-door sports, and the en-
thusiasm which has been developed in them
for this graceful and healthy game shows